Apparatus for forming concrete blocks



Apzrfill 9, 11929. K. T. RQMEE APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Sept. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet mm. W 5 /-.T E A K P 9 W239 H. T. ROMEI APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Sept. 4-, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet W H939 KIT. ROMEE K 76973941- APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Sept. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 LT Eon HE 40/ Q1 KAIE ii ateznted Apr. 9, R929. A

UNHTED srarasrarsnr oration.

L a. ROMIE, 01E nmnnnnn, CALIFORNIA.

- APPARATUS FOR FORMING CGNCRETE BLQCKS.

Application filed September a, 1925. 1 Serial No. 54,4149.

This invention relates particularly to an Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross section taken apparatus forand method of forming conthrough Fig. 7 on the line 8-8.

crete blocks to be used for building purposes. Fig. 9 is an end View of the cam and guide An object of the invention is to provide an member for controlling the direction of move- 55,

a apparatus for forming concrete blocks in ment of the mold. I

. which the concrete is poured into a suitable Fig. 10 is an enlarged section taken through mold and the said mold vibrated for the pur- Fig. 2 on the line 10-10. pose of controlling the density of the molded Fig. 11 is a plan View taken through Fig.

. block. 3 on the line 11-11. no to A further object of the invention is to pro-' Figs 12 and 13 are side and end views, revide a machine for molding concrete blocks spectively of the vibrators mounted on the in which the concrete aggregate is poured into mold.

' the mold on one level, and the said mold with In the present day methods of forming conthe aggregate therein moved to a different crete blocks, the concrete aggregate is as 15 level and the molded aggregate ejected and poured into suitable molds, tamped and trowthe mold returned to the first level for further elled, the mold removed, and the molded molding operations. aggregate allowed to harden. The aggregate A. still further object of the invention is to is not forced into the mold under pressure,

provide an apparatus for and method of except that incidentally obtained by the to forming concrete blocks that will be superior tamping operation, and as a result, when the in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness of mass has hardened, it does not possess the construction, positiveness of operation, and ultimate tensile or compressive strength that facility and convenience in use and general it is possible to obtain in a concrete mass. efiiciency. Furthermore, to practice such a process a 7/5 In this specification and the annexed draw-' large floor space is necessary, for molding ings, the invention is illustrated in the form the blocks and for storing the same. My inconsidered to be the best, but it is to be undervention contemplates a machine which will stood that the invention is not limited to such provide an economy in operation, upkeep form, because it may be embodied in other and output over that of the ordinary molding no forms, and it is also to be understood that'in process, and which will also provide a finand by the claims following the description, ished product of a high quality, that may be it is desired to cover the invention in whatsold at a lesser price than articles produced soever form it may be embodied. by other known processes.

In the accompanying three sheets of draw- In detail, the construction illustrated in the as ings drawings comprises, a frame 1 formed of Fig. 1 represents aside elevation of a mavertical, longitudinal and transverse bars all chine for forming concrete blocks in accordoined and interconnected to form a rigid and ance with my invention. durable structure. The frame 1 is provided Fig. 2 is an end elevation ofFig. 1. with a trough or charging surface 2 on its up no 40 Fig. 3 is an'enlarged fragmentary side eleper side, and with a roller discharging survation of a portion of Fig. 1. face 3 located on a level below that of the Fig. 4; is a fragmentary side elevation trough 2. The charging and discharging partly in section of the mold shown in Fig. 3 surfaces are shown to be substantially paralina discharging position. lel with each other although it would be s33 Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing clearly within the purview of the invention the concrete mass discharged from the mold. to vary the angularity of said surfaces. @n

Fig. 6 is .a longitudinal cross section each of the opposite sides of the frame 1, bethrough the concrete mold taken. on the line tween the charging surface 2 and the dis- 66 of Fig. 7. charging surface 3, I have provided a pair too Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion oi the oi vertically disposed guide rods 7-'? and mold shown in F ig. 6. 8-8. The-opposite ends of the guide rode I the under surface of the trough 2 and at in the upper face of the discharging surface 3. Slide members 11 and 12, respectively, are mounted on the guide members T-T and t5-8 on the opposite sides of the machine.

A mold 13 is provided with stub shafts 1 1 and 15 in axial alinement, on its opposite ends, and the stub shafts 14 and 15 are revolubly journaled in the respective slide members 11 and 12. The mold stub shaft 14 extends through the slide member 11 and is provided with a gear sector 15 keyed thereon. The gear sector 15' is adapted to mesh with a gear rack 16 located on the frame 1 adjacent the guide members 77, for turning the mold throughout an arc of 180 degrees, When the said mold is moved from the charging to the discharging surface, in the manner to be hereinafter described. The stub shaft 15 on the opposite end of the mold 13 is revolubly journaled in the slide member 12, and a cam member 17 is fixedly secured to said shaft, the said cam member 17 working in cooperative relation to cam surfaces 18 and 19 mounted on the frame 1 adjacent the guide members 8-8. The cam 17 and the cam guides 18 and 19 are arranged on the frame 1 in a definite relationship to the gear sector 15' and gear rack 16 on the opposite side of the frame, so as to regulate and control the path of movement of the mold 13 from the time that it is moved from its open face up position adjacent the charging surface 2 to the open face down position adjacent the discharging surface 3.

The extreme outer ends of the mold shafts 14 and 15 have collars 20 and 21 movably mounted thereon, which said collars are connected by links 22 and 23 respectively to brackets 2d and 25 mounted on the operating levers 26 and 27. The operating levers 26 and 27 are arranged on opposite sides of the frame 1, being pivoted co-axially to the opposite sides of the frame at 28. The lower ends of the arms 26 and 27 are provided With counterbalance Weights 29 and 30 thereon.

The mold 13 is substantially rectangular in its outward contour and consists of a continuous perimetral Wall 31, a substantially closed bottom 32, transverse division members 33 and mold cores 34 suitably disposed within the space between the division members. The mold cores 34- are secured at their lower ends to the bottom 32 of the mold. The form of themold shown in Figs. 6, 7' and 8 calculated to cast four blocks substantially 8- shaped, although it would be clearly within the purview of the invention to form a mold with a greater or a lesser number of compartments therein to form blocks or products of a different character and shape. Within each one of the compartments of the mold 15, T have provided an ejector frame member 35 which is approximately of the same size as the ters of the frame 35 and have a scraping contact with all of the vertical surfaces in the mold. The strips 36 are intended-to exert a wiping action on the faces of the mold and cores, with which they come in contact, so as to cleanse the mold faces of any concrete mix adhering thereto, after each and every molding operation. I have found that in order to eject the concrete aggregate from the mold after the aggregate has been thoroughly vibrated therein, it is good practice to cover the upper face of the ejector frame 35 with a screen or other equivalent foraminated sur face 37. In order to hold the screen over the face of the ejector 35, T wrap the said screening around a removable plate 38 which in turn is secured to the frame 35 by means of bolts or screws. 39. The concrete aggregate that is molded on the screen surfacing of. the ejector frame 35 can be discharged from the mold Without any portion ofthe aggregate adhering or sticking to, the ejector. In my experiments I have found that no other material will separate itself from the concrete aggregate as efficiently as the screening material, due almost entirely to the fact that the screen permits of an air circulation and prevents any suction or vacuum effects between the face of the concrete block and the screening.

The ejector frame 35 in each one of the mold compartments is provided with a downwardly extended shaft 40, each one of which is securely bolted into the transverse bar 41 adapted to connect all of the ejector shafts -10 together. The opposite ends of the bar 41 are provided with pins 42 and 43 thereon, in axial alinenient, for the purpose to be hereinafter described. On opposite sides of the mold 13 T have secured vibrators 43 and 44, each of which consists of an electrically driven motor 45 having a notched Wheel 46 on the armature shaft which is adapted to intermittently strike a lever 4:7 pivoted to the motor frame at 48. The lever 47 is provided with one end thereof in contact with the surface of the mold so as to strike said mold and the 12o lever is actuated at a high rate of speed 'to vi- (ill menses the ejector frames 35 in the mold would be positioned adjacent the bottom of said mold. T he operator would then fill the mold from the trough and when the mold is properly filled, would set the vibrators 47 in motion so as to vibrate or agitate the plastic concrete aggregate in the mold. The vibration causes the aggregate to thoroughly pack itself within the mold and to eliminate all air spaces from the interstices of the aggregate and to work the aggregate into a solid and dense mass. Vibration of the aggregate in this manner will cause the mass when hardened to have very high tensile and compressive strength, far above that possessed by concrete blocks that are formed under press sure. After the mass in the mold has been thoroughly vibrated, the upper surface thereof would be trowelled oft smoothly. The operator would then grasp the handles 26 and 27 to lower the mold 13 and slide members 11 and 12 on the respective guide members 7? and 8-8. As the mold 13 approaches the gear rack 16 the gear 15 engages therewith and the cam member 17 disengag'es from the cam surface 18, permit ting the gear sector 15' to turn the mold 113 through an arc of 180 degrees to place the said mold open face downward. Continuing the downward movement of the mold, causes the open face thereof to be brought into registry with a pallet 51 positioned on the discharging surt'ace 3, as shown in Fig. 4. lln this position, the pins i2 and 43 on the bar ll pass under and contact with the under edges of the trip arms 52 pivoted on opposite sides of the frame. The trip arms 52 are pit oted on the pins 53 secured on opposite'sides of the frame land said trip arms are provided with a forwardly extended handle member 54 which pro'ects over the front end cat the frame 1. With the upper surface of the mold 13 resting on the pallet 51, the operator moves the handles Qdand 27 upwardly, which action causes the mold to be raised, but the edges of trip members 52 hold the ejector frames 35 in a relatively immovable position, and causes the contents of the mold to be ejected therefrom, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5. The operator is enabled to raise the mold 13 until'the bottom thereof contacts with the ejector frame bar 11, thus virtually positioning the screen surface of the 'ejectors on a plane :dush with the open face of the mold 13. When the concrete block has been ejected from the mold, the operator releases the trip members 52 from contact with the pins 42 and 43 on the ejector bar ll, and permits the mold to be swung throughout an arc of 180 degrees into the open face up position, at which time the edges of the trip bar 52 would reengage the pins 42 and 43 on the bar l1 so that during the last portion of the upward stroke of the handles 26 and 2? the ejector frames 35 in the mold are moved from a position-adjacent the open upper face thereof to the bottomthereof. In this position, the apparatus is again in readiness for the molding operation. Repeated usage of my apparatus has established that concrete blocks may be formed more elliciently and witha much lesser outlay for apparatus and door space than that necessar where other processes offorming concrete blocks are used. The concrete blocks that are formed in my machine are of such hard ness that the same can be stacked within a few hours time after they have been molded, whereas, it is not possible to do this with concrete blocks formed by other processes, where it is necessary to allow the concrete blocks to harden for a day or so before stackng the same. In order to place the pallet 51 in proper registry, to have the concrete blocks discharged thereon, l have provided a pair of gravity stops on the discharging surface 3 by which the said pallets may pass when loaded with the concrete blocks. 1 Having thus described this invention, what I now claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device of the character described comprising a mold movably mounted on a frame, dllfijGCllOi" movably mounted in said mold, resilient yielding strips mounted on the ejector such strips being adapted to have a scrapmg contact with the vertical sides of the mold, means to invert said mold with said ejectorgmeans to elevate said mold when in verted; and means to hold said ejector sta-' tionary while said mold is being elevated,

A device or the character described compris ng a frame, a mold having an open side movably mounted on said frame; an ejector n the bottom of said mold, said ejector havmg resilient strips mounted thereon adapted to have a scraping contact with the vertical sides of the mold, the upper face of said ejector being covered with a screen, means to invert said mold with said ejector; and. means to elevate said inverted mold; means to hold said ejector stationary while said mold is elevated.

3. The combination with a mold having an ejector therefor and a plurality of resilient strips secured to said ejector, said strips being adaptedto contact with the vertical sides of. said mold and exert a scraping action on the same.

1-. The combination with a mold having an ejector therefor and a plurality of resilient strips secured to said ejector, said strips being adapted to contact with the sides of said mold to exert a scraping action on the same,.a movable plate for sa1dejector, said plate having a covering of screen material wrapped thereon,

5. A device of the character described comprising a frame; a mold having an open side Edit? in the bottom of said mold; means to invert said mold and ejector, said ejector having resilient strips thereon adapted to exert a scraping and Wiping action on the vertical faces of the mold with Which they come in contact, a removable plate secured to said ejector, said removable plate having a screen thereon; means to elevate said mold; and means to hold said ejector stationary While said mold is elevated.

In testimon whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at an Francisco, California, this 6th day of July 1925.

. KARL T. ROMIE. 

